Restrictions on "zombie weapons", video-related safeguards, mental health measures... The "Miners-Lavings" initiative proposes approximately 50 suggestions
France is tackling the escalating issue of knife violence among minors following a report submitted by the "Minors-Knives" mission led by Deputy Naïma Moutchou and Prefect François Ravier. The report, presented to Prime Minister François Bayrou on May 28, underscores an "increasingly armed youth violence" and proposes around fifty measures to address the problem.
The most common weapon involved in homicides committed by minors is the knife, accounting for 57% of such cases, according to the mission's findings. Between 2019 and 2021, approximately 16-23% of those involved in knife carrying were minors, equating to nearly 3,000 young people each year.
The mission recognizes that minors carrying weapons do not form a homogeneous group, and their motivations are multiple, necessitating differentiated responses.
To prevent further incidents, the mission draws inspiration from the British approach to prevention and repression. Proposed measures include banning the direct and online sale of zombie weapons (double-edged knives with curved blades popular among adolescents), tracking the sale of knives on social networks, and reinforcing video surveillance at school establishments' entrances.
The mission also suggests enhancing the penal response by creating an aggravating circumstance for the offense of carrying a weapon without a legitimate reason committed near a school establishment and continuing the reflection on minimum penalties.
In another effort to address the issue, Paris City Hall recently unveiled plans to limit brawls between young people in the capital. The report underscores the often deficient and overlooked mental health of young people, proposing psychiatric expertise within 24 to 48 hours from the first signs of psychological disorder.
Prime Minister Bayrou, who is reviewing these proposals, plans to communicate with the involved parties in the coming days, according to his entourage. The French government has been addressing youth violence through educational and societal initiatives, emphasizing "authority, respect, and civic-mindedness" to curb such issues. However, specific measures related to knife violence among minors are not outlined in the provided search results.
- The French government, amidst efforts in education and self-development, is actively considering measures to curb knife violence among minors, particularly driven by the "Minors-Knives" mission's report.
- The mission proposes drawing from the British approach in both prevention and repression, with plans to enforce stricter regulations on the sale of certain weapons, such as zombie knives, and enhance video surveillance in school establishments.
- Recognizing the varying motivations behind minors carrying weapons, the mission also emphasizes the need for mental health support, suggesting rapid access to psychiatric expertise for young people exhibiting signs of psychological disorder.
- Moving beyond direct response, the French government is considering policy-and-legislation changes to address knife violence, including creating an aggravating circumstance for weapon possession near a school and reevaluating minimum penalties.
- With the highlight on mental health and personal-growth, policy changes aim to not only tackle the act of knife violence but also the root causes, offering holistic approaches to foster a safer and healthier society.
